Lassen Volcanic Erupts in Color
Kings Creek Meadow Overlook, Lassen Volcanic NP (9/29/18) Shanda Ochs
Aspen, Devastated Area, Lassen Volcanic NP (9/29/18) Shanda Ochs
Everywhere you look on a drive through Lassen Volcanic National Park (northeast California), there’s molten color to be seen, Shanda Ochs suggests.
The Lassen Peak Highway (CA-89) is Lassen Volcanic’s main park road. It travels past several of the park’s prime attractions, from the Southwest Entrance Station at Mineral, northwest to CA-44 near Shingletown.
Once snow falls, the road remains closed for winter, often not reopening until late May. Though, for now, it’s open with splashes of fall color along it.
Ochs says fall color now appearing in all the national park’s meadows are impressive though, “Kings Creek Meadow from its upper vantage point is spectacular!”
Aspen, Devastated Area, Lassen Volcanic NP (9/29/18) Shanda Ochs
Manzanita Lake, Lassen Volcanic NP (9/29/18) Shanda Ochs
Manzanita Lake, Lassen Volcanic NP (9/29/18) Shanda Ochs
Continuing north, stands of Near Peak quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) are found near the Devasated Area beside the road. A good place to park is the Devastated area, as turnouts are limited along the park road.
At Manzanita Lake (northwest entrance), foliage varies in degree change, but overall it’s at Peak. An easy trail winds around the lake with thinleaf alder (Alnus tenuifolia), Pacific (Salix lasinandra) and Lemmons (Salix lemmonii) willow and black cottonwood (Populus trihocarpa) inhabit the shoreline and scatter gold, yellow and orange leaves upon the lake.
Kings Meadow, Lassen Volcanic National Park (7,500′) – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
Devastated Area, Lassen Volcanic National Park (7,000′) – Near Peak(50-75%) GO NOW!
Manzanita Lake, Lassen Volcanic National Park (5,900′) – Near Peak (50-75%) GO NOW!
Willow, Manzanita Lake, Lassen Volcanic NP (9/29/18) Shanda Ochs